University versus professional education. Education has always been a big issue for both high school graduates and people wanting to upskill themselves for a better job. While there are many other reasons why people care about education, this fact does not undermine its entire importance. If a person thinks about continuing their education after graduating from high school, the most common idea might be to enroll in college. But this is not the only possible solution, as there are other alternatives, such as vocational training. As indicated by the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, vocational education is “training for a specific occupation in agriculture, trade, or industry through a combination of theoretical instruction and practical experience” (Merriam-Webster.com, 2014). In other words, vocational education is a mode of education aimed at specific employment in predominantly technical fields. When comparing university, or general, education with vocational education, one can find various advantages of one type of education over the other. This article looks at some of the differences between the types of education mentioned above. Usually the first choice for many prospective students, general education requires on average three to five years of studies resulting in a college degree in a chosen major. Compared to professional studies, universities usually have a greater variety of different specializations, ranging from humanities to natural sciences. This gives students more options to decide what to dedicate their lives to, as it is relatively easy to change majors, especially in the first few years of studying at university. In contrast, professional courses usually last less time, provide...... middle of paper ......l Training in the European Union. Journal of Higher Education & Science Yόksekφgretim ve Bilim Dergisi, 3(1).Chamber of Commerce: 40% of vocational school graduates find work "immediately". (2014). Hungary AM. 9/4/2014, pages 5-5. 1/4p., p.5.Lochner, L. and Moretti, E. (2001). The effect of education on crime: Evidence from inmates, arrests, and self-reports. pp.155-189.Merriam-Webster.com, (2014). Vocational Education: Definition and more from the free Merriam-Webster dictionary. [online] Available at: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vocational%20education [Accessed 2 May. 2014].Silberman, H. (1978). Academic and professional education in the United States. International Review of Education, 24(2), pp.167--176. Toma, S., & Marinescu, P. (2013). Steve Jobs and modern leadership. Coach's Journal, 17(1), pp.260--269.